7 Simple Tenses

Question 1

What are the 7 simple tenses?

Answer 1

1. Presente de indicativo
2. Imperfecto de indicativo
3. Pretérito
4. Futuro
5. Potencial Simple
6. Presente de Subjuntivo
7. Imperfecto de Subjuntivo

Question 2

What are the 7 compound tenses?

Answer 2

8. Perfecto de indicativo
9. Pluscuamperfecto de indicativo
10. Pretérito anterior (pretérito perfecto)
11. Futuro perfecto
12. Potencial compuesto
13. Perfecto de subjuntivo
14. Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo

Question 3

Que es el imperativo?

Answer 3

The imperative mood is used in Spanish and in English to express a command. We saw earlier that the subjunctive mood is used to express commands in the Ud. and Uds. forms, in addition to other uses of the subjunctive mood.

Question 4

Presente de indicativo - definición

Answer 4

This tense is used most of the time in Spanish and English. It indicates:
A) An action or a state of being at the present time.
B) Habitual action.
C) A habitual action.
D) Vividness when talking or writing about past events
E) a near future
F) n action or state of being that occurred in the past and continues up to the present. In Spanish, this is an idiomatic use of the present tense of a verb with hace, which is also in the present.
G) The meaning of almost or nearly when used with por poco.

Question 5

Presente de indicativo - “ar”

Answer 5

Drop the -ar ending of an infinitive, like hablar, and add the following endings: o, as, a; amos, áis, an.

You then get: hablo, hablas, habla; hablamos, habláis, hablan

Question 6

Presente de indicativo - “er”

Answer 6

Drop the -er ending of an infinitive, like beber, and add the following endings: o, es, e; emos, éis, en.

You then get: bebo, bebes, bebe; bebemos, bebéis, beben

Question 7

Presente de indicativo - “ir”

Answer 7

Drop the -ir ending of an infinitive, like recibir, and add the following endings: o, es, e; imos, ís, en.

You then get: recibo, recibes, recibe; recibimos, recibís, reciben

Question 8

Imperfecto de indicativo (definición)

Answer 8

This is a past tense. Imperfect suggests incomplete. The imperfect tense expresses an action or a state of being that was continuous in the past and its completion is not indicated. This tense is used, therefore, to express:

Question 9

Imperfecto de indicativo uses:

Answer 9

A) an action that was going on in the past at the same time as another action
B) An action that was going on in the past when another action occurred
C) A habitual action in the past
D) A description of a mental, emotional, or physical condition in the past
E) The time of day in the past
F) An action or state of being that occurred in the past and lasted for a certain length of time prior to another past action.
G) An indirect quotation in the past.

Question 10

Imperfecto de Indicativo - “ar”

Answer 10

Drop the -ar ending of an infinitive, like hablar, and add the following endings: aba, abas, aba; ábamos, abais, aban.

You then get: hablaba, hablabas, hablaba; hablábamos, hablabais, hablaban

The usual equivalent in English is: I was talking OR I used to talk OR I talked; you were talking OR you used to talk OR you talked, etc.

Question 11

Imperfecto de indicativo - “er”/“ir”

Answer 11

Drop the -er ending of an infinitive, like beber, or the -ir ending of an infinitive, like recibir, and add the following endings: ía, ías, ía; íamos, íais, ían.

You then get: bebía, bebías, bebía; bebíamos, bebíais, bebían

recibía, recibías, recibía; recibíamos, recibíais, recibían

The usual equivalent in English is: I was drinking OR I used to drink OR I drank; you were drinking OR you used to drink OR you drank, etc.; I was receiving OR I used to receive OR I received; you were receiving OR you used to receive OR you received, etc.

Question 12

Imperfecto de Indicativo - verbs irregular in the imperfecto de indicativo

Answer 12

Verbs irregular in the imperfect indicative:

ir/to go - iba, ibas, iba; (I was going, I used to go, etc.) íbamos, ibais, iban

ser/to be - era, eras, era; (I was, I used to be, etc.) éramos, erais, eran

ver/to see - veía, veías, veía; (I was seeing, I used to see, etc.) veíamos, veíais, veían

Question 13

Pretérito - definition

Answer 13

This tense expresses an action that was completed at some time in the past.

Question 14

Pretérito - examples

Answer 14

EXAMPLES:
1. Mi padre llegó ayer.
My father arrived yesterday. My father did arrive yesterday.

2. María fue a la iglesia esta mañana.
   Mary went to church this morning. Mary did go to church this morning.
3. ¿Qué pasó?
   What happened? What did happen?
4. Tomé el desayuno a las siete.
   I had breakfast at seven o’clock.
   I did have breakfast at seven o’clock.
5. Salí de casa, tomé el autobús y llegué a la escuela a las ocho.
   I left the house, I took the bus, and I arrived at school at eight o’clock.

Question 15

Pretérito and mental states

Answer 15

In Spanish, some verbs that express a mental state have a different meaning when used in the preterit.

EXAMPLES:
1. La conocí la semana pasada en el baile.
I met her last week at the dance.
(Conocer, which means to know or be acquainted with, means met, that is, introduced to for the first time, in the preterit.)

2. Pude hacerlo.
   I succeeded in doing it.
   (Poder, which means to be able, means succeeded in the preterit.)
3. No pude hacerlo.
   I failed to do it.
   (Poder, when used in the negative in the preterit, means failed or did not succeed.)
4. Quise llamarle.
   I tried to call you.
   (Querer, which means to wish or want, means tried in the preterit.)
5. No quise hacerlo.
   I refused to do it.
   (Querer, when used in the negative in the preterit, means refused.)
6. Supe la verdad.
   I found out the truth.
   (Saber, which means to know, means found out in the preterit.)
7. Tuve una carta de mi amigo Roberto.
   I received a letter from my friend Robert.
   (Tener, which means to have, means received in the preterit.)

Question 16

Pretérito - “ar”

Answer 16

Drop the -ar ending of an infinitive, like hablar, and add the following endings: é, aste, ó; amos, asteis, aron.

You then get: hablé, hablaste, habló; hablamos, hablasteis, hablaron

The usual equivalent in English is: I talked OR I did talk; you talked OR you did talk, etc. OR I spoke OR I did speak; you spoke OR you did speak, etc.

Question 17

Pretérito - “er”/“ir”

Answer 17

Drop the -er ending of an infinitive, like beber, or the -ir ending of an infinitive, like recibir, and add the following endings: í, iste, ió; imos, isteis, ieron.

You then get:

bebí, bebiste, bebió; bebimos, bebisteis, bebieron recibí, recibiste, recibió; recibimos, recibisteis, recibieron

The usual equivalent in English is: I drank OR I did drink; you drank OR you did drink, etc.; I received OR I did receive, etc.

Question 18

Futuro (definition)

Answer 18

In Spanish and English, the future tense is used to express an action or a state of being that will take place at some time in the future.

Also, in Spanish the future tense is used to indicate:
(a) Conjecture regarding the present.
(b) Probability regarding the present.
(c) An indirect quotation.
Finally, remember that the future is never used in Spanish after si when si means if.

Question 19

Futuro (examples)

Answer 19

1. Lo haré.
   I shall do it. I will do it.
2. Iremos al campo la semana que viene. We shall go to the country next week. We will go to the country next week.

Also, in Spanish the future tense is used to indicate:
(a) Conjecture regarding the present.
EXAMPLES:
1. ¿Qué hora será?
I wonder what time it is.
2. ¿Quién será a la puerta?
Who can that be at the door? I wonder who is at the door.
(b) Probability regarding the present.
EXAMPLES:
1. Serán las cinco.
It is probably five o’clock. It must be five o’clock.
2. Tendrá muchos amigos.
He probably has many friends. He must have many friends.
3. María estará enferma.
Mary is probably sick. Mary must be sick.
(c) An indirect quotation.
EXAMPLE:
María dice que vendrá mañana.
Mary says that she will come tomorrow.
Finally, remember that the future is never used in Spanish after si when si means if.

Question 20

Futuro - how to form

Answer 20

Add the following endings to the whole infinitive: é, ás, á; emos, éis, án.

Note that these Future endings happen to be the endings of haber in the present indicative: he, has, ha; hemos, habéis, han. Also note the accent marks on the Future endings, except for emos.

You then get:
hablaré, hablarás, hablará; hablaremos, hablaréis, hablarán
beberé, beberás, beberá; beberemos, beberéis, beberán
recibiré, recibirás, recibirá; recibiremos, recibiréis, recibirán

Question 21

Potencial simple (definition)

Answer 21

The conditional is used in Spanish and in English to express:

(a) An action that you would do if something else were possible.
(b) A conditional desire. This is a conditional of courtesy.
(c) An indirect quotation.
(d) Conjecture regarding the past.
(e) Probability regarding the past.

Question 22

Potencial simple - examples

Answer 22

The conditional is used in Spanish and in English to express:

(a) An action that you would do if something else were possible.
EXAMPLE:
Iría a España si tuviera dinero.
I would go to Spain if I had money.

(b) A conditional desire. This is a conditional of courtesy.
EXAMPLE:
Me gustaría tomar una limonada.
I would like (I should like) to have a lemonade . . . (if you are willing to let me have it).

(c) An indirect quotation.
EXAMPLES:
1. María dijo que vendría mañana.
Mary said that she would come tomorrow.
2. María decía que vendría mañana.
Mary was saying that she would come tomorrow.
3. María había dicho que vendría mañana.
Mary had said that she would come tomorrow.

(d) Conjecture regarding the past.
EXAMPLE:
¿Quién sería?
I wonder who that was.

(e) Probability regarding the past.
EXAMPLE:
Serían las cinco cuando salieron.
It was probably five o’clock when they went out.

Question 23

Potencial simple - how to form

Answer 23

Add the following endings to the whole infinitive:

ía, ías, ía; íamos, íais, ían

Note that these conditional endings are the same endings of the imperfect indicative for -er and -ir verbs.

You then get:
hablaría, hablarías, hablaría; hablaríamos, hablaríais, hablarían
bebería, beberías, bebería; beberíamos, beberíais, beberían
recibiría, recibirías, recibiría; recibiríamos, recibiríais, recibirían

The usual translation in English is: I would talk, you would talk, etc.; I would drink, you would drink, etc.; I would receive, you would receive, etc.

Question 24

Presente de subjuntivo - definition

Answer 24

(a) To express a command in the usted or ustedes form, either in the affirmative or negative.
(b) To express a negative command in the familiar form (tú).
(c) To express a negative command in the second person plural (vosotros).
(d) To express a command in the first person plural, either in the affirmative or negative (nosotros).
(e) After a verb that expresses some kind of wish, insistence, preference, suggestion, or request.
(f) After a verb that expresses doubt, fear, joy, hope, sorrow, or some other emotion.
(g) After certain impersonal expressions that show necessity, doubt, regret, importance, urgency, or possibility.
(h) After certain conjunctions of time, such as, antes (de) que, cuando, en cuanto, después (de) que, hasta que, mientras, and the like. The subjunctive form of the verb is used when introduced by any of these time conjunctions if the time referred to is either indefinite or is expected to take place in the future. However, if the action was completed in the past, the indicative mood is used.
(i) After certain conjunctions that express a condition, negation, purpose, such as a menos que, con tal que, para que, a fin de que, sin que, en caso (de) que, and the like.
(j) After certain adverbs, such as acaso, quizá, and tal vez.
(k) After aunque if the action has not yet occurred.
(l) In an adjectival clause if the antecedent is something or someone that is indefinite, negative, vague, or nonexistent.
(m) After por más que or por mucho que.
(n) After the expression ojalá (que), which expresses a great desire. This interjection means would to God! or may God grant! . . . It is derived from the Arabic, ya Allah! (Oh, God!)

Question 25

Presente de subjuntivo - how to form

Answer 25

Go to the present indicative, 1st pers. sing., of the verb you have in mind, drop the ending o, and

for an -ar ending type, add: e, es, e; emos, éis, en for an -er or -ir ending type, add: a, as, a; amos, áis, an

As you can see, the characteristic vowel in the present subjunctive endings for an -ar type verb is e in the six persons.

As you can see, the characteristic vowel in the present subjunctive endings for an -er or -ir type verb is a in the six persons.

Since the present subjunctive of some irregular verbs is not normally formed as stated above (e.g., dar, dormir, haber, ir, secar, sentir, ser, tocar), you must look up the verb you have in mind in the alphabetical listing in this book.

Question 26

Imperfecto de subjuntivo - definition

Answer 26

This past tense is used for the same reasons as the presente de subjuntivo—that is, after certain verbs, conjunctions, impersonal expressions, etc., which were explained and illustrated above in tense no. 6. The main difference between these two tenses is the time of the action. If the verb in the main clause is in the present indicative or future or present perfect indicative or imperative, the present subjunctive or the present perfect subjunctive is used in the dependent clause—provided, of course, that there is some element which requires the use of the subjunctive.

However, if the verb in the main clause is in the imperfect indicative, preterit, conditional, or pluperfect indicative, the imperfect subjunctive (this tense) or pluperfect subjunctive is ordinarily used in the dependent clause—provided, of course, that there is some element which requires the use of the subjunctive.

Note that the imperfect subjunctive is used after como si to express a condition contrary to fact

Finally, note that quisiera (the imperfect subjunctive of querer) can be used to express politely a wish or desire, as in I should like: Quisiera hablar ahora/I should like to speak now.

Question 27

Imperfecto de subjuntivo - how to form

Answer 27

For all verbs, drop the ron ending of the 3rd pers. pl. of the preterit and add the following endings:

ra, ras, ra; ramos, rais, ran
OR
se, ses, se; semos, seis, sen

The only accent mark on the forms of the imperfect subjunctive is on the 1st pers. pl. form (nosotros) and it is placed on the vowel which is right in front of the ending ramos or semos.